The Arizona champion., 1887-03-19
THE TIDE or EMPIRE.

NS@b h@~ eAAS VI empire"-which in plain English means surplus population in search of new homes--had no where else to 20. It first came westward, across the ocean frsm the old world and settled on our eastern sea board, Then, as that began to fill up the movement continued still further westward the country becoming occupied a, the "tide of empire" kept slowly moving toward the Occident. It took a long time to reach across the Mississippi and even then, there was great west beyond, which seemed to be almost illiraitsble and much of 1t unexplored. But how much of this great western empire remains unsettled nowf
 Between thirty and forty years ago advancing civilization took a great leap from the banks of the Missouri to the shores of the Pacific. The dis cevery of the precious metals was the immediate cause of this hegira across the plains, leaving thousands of inter- vening miles almost in it's primitive condition. Since then immigration has been filling up this space and for years the country contiguous to the Rocky mountain range has been prsc- tically the frontier region of the west.
 For some cause, not easy of explan- ation, the northwestern states and ter ritories for many years were the at- tractiye points and the bulk of west erp immigration went there. Dakota, Wyoming, Nevada, Montana, Idaho and Washington drew large percen- tage of western settlers. Nevada had been a wonderland in mineral discov- cries and then early in the seventies the Union Pacific Railroad was con- pleteds connecting the eastern ssand western shores of the continent. Still further encouraging. ;. immigration, in this direction.
 While California and a large DOT tion of the northwest was becoming settled and prosperous, Arizona was still part of Mexico. In fact, it was not until after the war that there were any American settlements here aud then its history was writtensin blood for. ten more long years. It was the home of the most blood-thirs,y of Indian tribes, and no railroad within nearly thousand miles of it,
 Now, what a transformation has taken place, within few yearsl The bad Indians have gone, never to re- turn. There is nearly a thousand miles of railroad in operation within the territory and nearly hundred thousand population. The land i, rich, the climate incomparable.- Ma ture has been lavish in her sndou- ments, but man has scarcely put his hand on the plough which is to make this land of sunshine fruitful gar den. E
 Northwestern immigration will not cease, but there are only a few people rhe want to go to climate where the mercury is so low down in winter, that it is lost, when better coustry is opening up for their occupancy, with none of the disadvantages of northern climate and all the advan- tages that could be desired to make life healthful and happy.
 For these reasons, which are cer. tainly not illogical, it may be posi- lively assumed that the tide of immi- grafton whicn has set in, particularly in this section of Arizona, will con- tinue to increase and that in the flu. ,ure it will be in this direction "the tide of empire" will take it's way.
 Horace Greeley advised young men to Ego west and grow up with the country" We don't want men who will merely "grow up with the csun- try"-any fool can do that. We want men and women of pluck and perse- yerance, with capital and intelligence to come here, who will help to build up the country and develop the won derful stores of wealth that it has been lowered with. Flagstaff has quadrupled its population within the last year and it will increase much more in the coming year. It will be the junction of three lines of railroad and it is now the entrepot for all the business of Northern Arizona. Sound reasons are here adduced for the be- lief that this section of the southwest will rapidly grow in wealth and pspu- latisn and the present steady inflow ing current of people from the eastern states is the best proof that the opin. ion is we'll founded.